


If The Boot Fits

by skysedge



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Drabble, F/F, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, One-Sided Attraction, Spoilers for end of Heavensward/beginning of Stormblood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-12
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-12-01 09:09:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11483193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skysedge/pseuds/skysedge
Summary: When something has been lost, a replacement has to be found.





	If The Boot Fits

  
When something has been lost, a replacement needs to be found.

  
This is something Alisaie has always lived by. It's not that she loses things herself, she's far too level-headed for that, but rather something she has applied to other people. When she had been a child and her brother had lost one of his favourite sketching pencils she had immediately found him a replacement. She had told Alphinaud that this was because she couldn't stand him pouting, an excuse she's still able to make him believe now that they're older, even if it's not entirely the truth. As sensible as she wants to be it's a compulsion, the desire to help someone even if it doesn't benefit her, to fill the gap left behind.

  
She's trained herself to largely ignore it; far too many people want far too much particularly if one is associated with the Scions. She knows she can't run around replacing every little thing for every little person and that it's far better to fix the larger problems and work her way down. When it comes to people close to her, worse when it's those she cares about, it's much harder to ignore.

  
She cares about Lyse. She cares more than she's comfortable with. And Lyse has lost something irreplaceable.

  
Alisaie has never been great with words, at least not when compared to her brother. Even if everyone else hadn't tried to put their condolences into words before she could consider it she wouldn't have been able to say the right thing. Words are a waste anyway, meaningless sounds to echo in the void Papalymo has left behind. Words won't do a damn thing. They hadn't when her grandfather had died and they won't now. She knows better than to try.

  
Lyse has never been one for words either, something that hasn't changed with her name. How easy it had been to start saying Lyse and to stop thinking Yda, how much of a difference dropping the mask has made. She's more real now than ever before. Yda had been wonderful, funny, passionate, loyal but _distant_ somehow, someone Alisaie couldn't quite grasp. Lyse still carries all of Yda's good qualities but she's vibrant, graceful, open to a fault. Alisaie has never known anyone quite so fiercely beautiful. Even when her spirits waver in the face of her broken countrymen she's radiant and the weak smile she forces makes Alisaie's chest ache.

  
Something is missing. A part of Lyse's heart has been torn out. When Alisaie stumbles upon her sitting upon a hilltop and watching the sun set over The Ruby Sea her expression makes the wound so obvious to see that it may as well be openly bleeding. This is something she cannot find a replacement for. She can't just find another Lalafell and put them in his place as she had done with a karakul lamb Alphinaud had once become attached to. It's frustrating. It's cruel. The world has been far too cruel to them all.

  
She can't leave Lyse sitting there on her own, the sunset to her back and her sapphire eyes staring out at a darkened sea.

  
"Mind if I join you?"

  
She keeps her voice light and Lyse turns with a smile already fixed in place.

  
"Of course not! Pull up a seat."

  
"Thank you."

  
Alisaie sinks down onto the grass beside Lyse, stretching her legs out before her. Her own legs seem tiny compared to Lyse's in her armoured boots and she can't help but chuckle. Lyse looks every inch the warrior princess from her golden hair to the brave smile she's forcing.

  
"What's so funny?" Lyse asks, not hurt but curious.

  
"My feet." There's little point in lying. Not to her. "Perhaps I should start wearing larger boots."

  
"Don't do that," Lyse laughs. "I like your feet. They're tiny."

  
"Yes, I'm aware."

  
"And cute."

  
Alisaie has to pause. Lyse nods with a smile so fond that something in Alisae's stomach twists and stops her from answering immediately.

  
"They _are_!" Lyse insists.

  
"If you say so."

  
"I _do_ say so. So there."

  
They sit in silence for a time after, both smiling out towards the darkening ocean. It's a nice feeling, sitting even in false contentment, 'girls together', pretending there's nothing to worry about other than the size of her feet.

  
Of course it's temporary and before long Alisaie can see the smile on Lyse's lips fading away. She wishes she knew how to bring it back full force, to make it stay, that she had more to offer than this. Lyse's heart is silently bleeding out into the ocean and she has nothing that can stem the flow.

  
Actions are better than words. Alisaie shuffles closer and forces herself to not hesitate in resting her head against Lyse's shoulder. She holds her breath until Lyse rests a hand atop her own lying on the grass between them.

  
"Alisaie?" Lyse's voice is soft. "Is everything quite all right?"

  
_Oh_. Lyse has misunderstood the gesture as one seeking comfort instead of offering it. Regardless of everything, or perhaps in spite of it, she's as kind and selfless as ever. Alisaie moves instantly, withdrawing from the all too tempting warmth that Lyse surely can't spare because she knows that she isn't selfless, this isn't just 'girls together', this is a twisting in her heart that she had never been expecting to feel for anyone.

  
Something is missing. She wishes she could make her own heart fill the space Papalymo has left. It's a selfish desire and that is why she must keep it to herself.

  
"Of course," she answers, carefully keeping her voice level and confident. "Why wouldn't it be?"

  
Lyse hesitates before pressing her hand firmly back atop Alisaie's.

  
"Because you have tiny feet?"

  
Forcing a laugh, Alisaie nods.

  
"I'm afraid I might never recover."

  
Lyse laughs and her smile reaches her eyes. For now, this will have to do.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I just really wanted to write about these girls so vomited up some words idek


End file.
